Making it up as they go along, those behind The Mummy call upon every cliché in the book. Even An American Werewolf in London ends up plagued by imitation. Meanwhile, Tom Cruise appears utterly rudderless as Nick Morton, a thief and the “chosen” one. What’s his purpose and how does Russell Crowe fit in? Who cares?

Indeed, director Alex Kurtzman defiles any good will that allowed audiences to care about Boris Karloff and Arnold Vosloo. The new mummy, a princess played by Sofia Boutella, holds so much potential that the end product insults both her charm and beauty.

Surprisingly, Cruise comes across as the most unlikeable cad here. Because he seems incapable of battling evil forces, the escapes feel relatively unimaginative, even dull.

Coinciding with the film’s release, Back Lot Music brought out two hours of Brian Tyler’s score. My advice? Save your money, head to the nearest store and purchase the Blu-ray of the 1999 classic starring Brendan Fraser. (Capsule review)

(Released by Universal Studios and rated “PG-13” for violence, action and scary images, and for some suggestive content and partial nudity.)